Living the Frugal Life (Semi-lighthearted) ?

Otis

I've stopped ironing clothes. I always dry them on the line and if you fold them well your body heat will do the rest.

I've stopped ironing so much too during lockdown, and find that only very few items actually need it! Must be saving loads on electric!

An electrician told us yes, it does make a difference.a trickle of power is used to the plug even if switched off!! Also plug is slave to the switch not being faulty too! It's just a switch after all, and could be live!

Sago, I like your humour !!!

I've always been tight as a ducks a**e!! Cutting open tubes of anything to scrape out remains/forcing pump bottles open too/I have been refilling those automatic soap dispensers for years by forcing the tops off with a spoon rather than keep buying more bottles of soap! Live off leftovers maybe 30%time and eat a takeaway between us as they're always far too much! I'll cook my own rice if it's extra! Roast chicken lasts 2-4days depending on meals made! I'm surprised were not dead in our beds from eating leftovers???

LizH13

HannahLoisLuke

Does anybody know the answer to this? I switch off all plugs at the wall when not in use but I don’t unplug them. Would pulling out the plug make any extra saving, I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere.

It won’t make any difference at all, according to Mr LH

You are still using electricity.

www.takecontrolandsave.coop/welcome-to-our-blog/posts/2020/october/phantom-energy-load/

Kittypaws
Did you know you can use that water in your iron, it’s distilled water. But you probably knew that anyway ?

HannahLoisLuke

Does anybody know the answer to this? I switch off all plugs at the wall when not in use but I don’t unplug them. Would pulling out the plug make any extra saving, I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere.

It won’t make any difference at all, according to Mr LH

I cut wipes in half as they're easily big enough. It makes them half price.
Also, any plastic loaf packets or vegetable bags I use to pick up dog poo when out on our daily walk.

I don't use wipes of any kind as they are so bad for the environment when they get into the drains. I can't believe that Flash are still advertising the floor cleaners with disposable pads. How irresponsible!!

I use a thin flannel for my face or a muslin cloth that I bought years ago. I don't put soap on my face anyway.

I don't buy all kinds of cleaning products e.g. bathroom ones/kitchen ones etc, as I am sure they are all basically the same thing anyway.

We rarely use kitchen roll and use a bleachable cloth for the kitchen and for cleaning. I realise that bleach is not especially good for the environment but it is my trade off for not clogging the drains with wipes and creating more rubbish

We use Pears soap which has a convenient indent on it which fits a sliver of Pears soap in it perfectly. Once it has stuck it never falls out.

We (me and DH) share baths and only have a couple a week. On other days we have a strip wash.

I try to plan our meals so that I am not throwing away more food than necessary.

Funniest, MawtheMerrier.

midgey

I have found the perfect answer to a cheap water bill! I live next door to a bachelor. When the water board fitted a water meter it would appear the meter has been attached to his house not mine! I have only just found this out so have been fairly careful with water…..but not half as careful as he is! ?

midgey I'm damned if I'd tell them, it's their mistake not yours!

Does anybody know the answer to this? I switch off all plugs at the wall when not in use but I don’t unplug them. Would pulling out the plug make any extra saving, I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere.

I too make soup using odds and ends, calling it Fishermen's Soup - because you have to fish around to find what’s in it!

I think I have been frugal/stingy all my life as I already do lots of the great tips here like opening up tubes to get out the remnants, using bars of soap rather than liquid soap etc. I always use half the amount of soap powder in my washing machine and dishwasher.

I also add a little water to dilute washing up liquid to get the last drops out and dilute supermarket brand fabric conditioner to make it go further - yes, I know it’s not necessary but I like the smell and it’s one of my luxuries!

I am unable to walk around the shops so rely on internet shopping which limits the possibility of bagging bargains but recently I’ve been storing some veggies like mushrooms and spring onions in brown paper bags in the fridge as they last a lot longer. Also rinse fresh berries ( leave any stalks on) and when dry store in sealed glass jars, they will last up to a couple of weeks. Any that go a bit soft before I eat them get blasted in the microwave for a couple of minutes then mushed into a jus to pour over ice cream.

Since I bought my air fryer at Christmas I have hardly used my oven. I tend to cook double the quantity and reheat half the next day as the air fryer is great at crisping things up. So at weekend I cooked four chicken thighs and two jacket potatoes which I’d marinaded in Greek yogurt and spices, I had two with one of the potatoes then the other two with the second potato which I cut into small chunks, spritzed with oil and reheated in the air fryer.

Esspee, thank you so much for your tip on using the hob rather than the electric kettle. I’ve suspected as much myself but couldnt check because although I’ve just had a smart meter fitted the display hasn’t yet connected. I did however order a stove top kettle yesterday. I didn’t buy the cheapest camping kettle as they’re only for occasional use and reviews weren’t good so I’ve ordered a heavier stainless steel one and shall lock the electric one away.

We bought some solar power lights for the garden, the kind you can put on a stick along your path. We now leave them to charge up in the day and bring them into the house at night to use instead of switching the main lights on.
Also just bought an all in one Air fryer and slow cooker and am hoping that will cut down on bills too.

Oldnproud

JenniferEccles

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the old habit from years ago of cutting up newspaper into squares to use as loo paper!

A very elderly aunt did that, and even as a child it seemed a really bizarre idea to me.
I always used to hold on when we visited her and then dashed to our bathroom with proper loo paper when we got home !

That would be hard on the bum with today's online 'papers'. Even less flexible and less absorbant than Izal!

And would very quickly block the pipes!

Mrst1405 I don't know if yours does this but my library has a subscription so we can access this via the library membership.
Might be worth asking yours.

I've stopped ironing clothes. I always dry them on the line and if you fold them well your body heat will do the rest.

I like to read a lot, so I use 'Bookbub" . You get an email every day with free and 99p books . You chose the type you receive.
I also use Readly. For £9.99a month you get newspapers and just about every magazine published. You can put it on 2 devices so dh gets techy stuff as well.

Baggytrazzas

I still cannot bear to throw away the last sliver of a bar of soap. I don't save them up either, I spend ages tying to soften them and stick them on to the new bar! Which is then lumpy and uncomfortable to use at first. I probably get about another 3 washes out of the sliver..............

My Grannie kept the slivers in a jam jar, and when she had enough of them to make it worth while, she put the jam-jar in a pan of hot water and melted down the soap - then turned it out into a flat dish and let it set again as soap.

I make my own bread-crumbs by cutting the heels of loaves into small squares, drying them, and when I have enough to make the effort worth-while, I put them through the mincer.

Bread-crumbs at about the tenth of the price of the shop bought one.

make oat milk, you can do it with ordinary oats,as well as rolled oats which are dearer,many ways to make it,you can mix it with ordinary milk too.

I have been living the Frugal life since my husband died but I was brought up by a war baby and my nan, who lived through rationing so I have always been careful. Also because of the environment I havent wasted, food, energy or water for years. I am doing most of the above already
Here are a few not mentioned. I went to the pound shop and brought some little push lights with batteries. I placed them around the house. I used them in the evenings or at night when I get up to use the loo just for when you don’t need a light for long rather than putting an electric light on.

I find natural stuff like lemon and vinegar cleans better than expensive cleaners.

I have signed up to some waste food apps such as" too to go " and I buy cheap Fresh food that would have otherwise been chucked.

My garden is beautiful, I could not afford to buy any plants full price so I have been going to supermarkets, garden centres, B&M and so on and buying dead looking plants, that no can be bothered to water (makes me so cross) paying just a few pence and bringing them back. Also, if I see people ripping up a garden to put in stone drive ways or fake grass, I ask for their plants, even trees . I also grow my own herbs and veg/fruit.
Been making my own wild bird food much cheaper and birds seem to love it more. I have been feeding my plants with homemade food as recommended by Charlie Dimmock.

I upcycle items I find dumped in the street and people buy them when I post pictures of them ( crazy)

I buy call my ALL my clothes 2nd hand ( mostly for the environment ) in charity shops, vinted, car boot sales, a local jumble trail and E-Bay.
Vaseline is wonderful for dry skin and lips and very cheap.

During cold times of the year, I save my ironing till later in the day as it makes me feel quite warm and so I can delay switching my heating on. With gas and electricity prices as high as they currently are, I tend to avoid using the timer and switch on manually, depending on my need.

we have also stopped daily delivery of newspaper always buy a saturday one.

Grandmabatty

I'm using the 15 minute wash cycle for everything. If it needs an extra spin then that's ok. It was a thread on here which suggested that.

Yes I’ve started to do that for most things except towels and sheets…